Timbers News and USL Updates - October 14, 2009

In my last recap of the 2009 season, I failed to mention a couple of successes that merit attention. The 2009 Portland Timbers have two cups to add to their list of awards, as they are 2009 Cascadia Cup champions and they won the 2009 USL Commissioner’s Cup for being the regular season champions.

The Cascadia Cup is a fan-based competition between the Pacific Northwest USL First Division teams, which for this past season involved the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Timbers. Based on the Timbers’ two wins at home versus the Whitecaps, they had secured enough points to win the Cascadia Cup for the first time in team history. The competition will take on a different tact in 2011 when Portland and Vancouver join Seattle in MLS and the competition will resume between the three Northwest based squads. Prior to this season, the USL versions of the Timbers, Whitecaps, and Sounders had battled for the cup, but with Seattle joining MLS this season, the competition became a two-team race.

In other team news, it was announced yesterday that coach and GM Gavin Wilkinson will return for the 2010 campaign after signing a one-year contract with the team. While Wilkinson was lobbying for a longer contract, the prospect of the MLS squad in 2011 probably precluded giving him a longer deal. I will give Wilkinson credit for finding quality talent, as the 2009 squad was supremely talented and deep, but his coaching strategy at times seemed too conservative at points, putting the Timbers in tough positions. I am glad to see Wilkinson back, as he has put together a tactically sound squad, and I’m curious to see what players will be here in 2010. In the press release, Ryan Pore and Tony McManus were mentioned as returning, which is a great thing. Both Pore and McManus were solid in the midfield, and they will provide the team a quality foundation in the middle to build their attack.

The Timbers’ organization was also honored for their community outreach work during the 2009 season. The Timbers and Portland Beavers jointly contribute to the Portland Timbers & Portland Beavers Community Fund, which provides assistance to kids and school teams in need through outreach programs. The community fund was honored by the Portland Business Journal in their annual awards for their efforts in two categories, Small Company grouping and for Innovations in Philanthropy. The organization has made huge strides in contributing to local communities, as evidenced by their numerous appearances at local school and community events, while also providing other support, such as monetary or equipment donations. It’s one thing to live in a specific area, but it’s another to give something back, and the Timbers are doing their part to make Portland a better place.